


Soften The Fall

by commencement



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Beginnings, F/M, Missing Scene, Multi, Other, Unresolved Tension, Vengeance Demon(s), What Was I Thinking?, What happens in The Underdark stays in The Underdark?, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 18:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6387016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commencement/pseuds/commencement
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Orthax wakes in the middle of the night with unforeseen consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soften The Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed because I don't know anyone in fandom. I apologize for any mistakes in advance. Slight AU from episode 3: Strange Bedfellows

###  **I: If the fall doesn't kill you**

 

_ “Throughout the history of Exandria there have been brave explores and many of these has undertaken missions in the cave network known as The Underdark. There have been theories that the deeper parts of The Underdark connect even the continents, but such theories remain unconfirmed. What is known however; is that The Underdark is home to many a dangerous beast, and not recommended for inexperienced explorers. While some parts of the cave network have been thoroughly documented, it is still one of the least traversed locations in Exandria and as such only experienced adventurers should consider undertaking such adventures.” _

_ -An Adventurers guide to Exandria _

  
  


It starts as tingle at the back of her neck.

 

The Underdark is flush with danger and Vex had stayed alive for far too long to ignore that sensation.

 

Here, in the crossroads between the Upperdark and Middledark deep beneath the dwarven mines of Kraghammar, they have already spilled too much blood to be reckless now.

 

Vex knows all too well the horrors that can sneak up on you during the quiet times, When you think you have found some measure of safety. That is when it edges up on you, in those moments when you were too tired or too distracted to pay attention.

 

She is taking second watch with her brother, as the remainder of their party takes their rest. For the moment the only sound penetrating the eerie stillness, is the soft breathing of her friends and the dripping of far away water.

 

She takes a moment to shift her position. Using the movement as cover for her to glance around the small cave, where they have taken rest for a few hours.

 

At first glance Vex doesn't find anything immediately suspicious, her brother is on the far side of the camp, close to where Keyleth is resting, under the strange symbol that someone had carved into the cave wall. The air is still and silent, but the nagging feeling is still there at the back of her neck, and a second glance finds the source.

 

Percy is awake, silently watching her from his bedroll. And for a second, a trick of the light makes his eyes seem completely black. She blinks and as her eyes focus on him she sees him looking back with the owl like stare of someone who just woke up and hasn't really regained their equilibrium yet.

 

She smiles softly and moves closer to him, keeping her movements light so she won't wake any of the others.

 

“Percival,” she whispers his name like an admonishment. “You should try to get some sleep.”

 

“Yes.” He sighs and there is something in his voice and demeanor that she can't really put her finger on. Something distant and chilly like he's not fully here. He clears his throat 

 

“I just…” He clears his throat. “You’re right, I should try to get some more rest.”

 

In this moment he reminds her of Vax, too proud to admit that he would fall prey to something as pedestrian as a bad dream and feeling too isolated to ask for help or comfort.

 

She reaches out to give his hair a soft ruffle, and for a second he seems to freeze under her fingers before relaxing into the touch.

 

Vex rarely touches Percy. Out of all the members of Vox Machina he is the most solitary. Although Keyleth will sometimes seek out the solitude for her Druidic rituals, she needs other people in a way that Percy never seems to. Percy never invite the others to his workshop or his private rooms, and often he seems almost exasperated with the rest of the group.

 

It makes Vex feels guilty, for what she knows about his past Percy is probably the one who needs friendship and physical touch the most.

 

She shifts slightly. Keeping her hand in Percy's hair, moving so that she is sitting next to his head. She does not know how long she stays there, feeling his breath even out against her tight, as she keeps stroking his hair. It is both strangely familiar, something she has done for her brother more times than she can count, and also alien. The texture of his hair is nothing like her own, or her brothers and as a human he is slightly warmer. As she senses slumber overtaking him, he seems to stretch into her touch like a large cat. His body seeking her warmth in the cool cavern.

 

After a while there is movement at the edge of her periphery and as she looks up she sees her brother moving towards her. She shifts away from Percy, feeling strangely guilty, although she does not know why. Her brother gracefully sits down next to her. “You'll ruin your night vision sitting this close to the fire.”

 

She shrugs and leans over to rest her head on his shoulder. “That's what I have you for.”

 

He raises an eyebrow slightly. The fact that he knows she isn't telling him something hangs unsaid between them for a moment before he seems to shrug it off.

 

“Who was taking the third shift?”

 

“Tiberius and Scanlan.” 

 

“What about Percy?” He looks towards the soundly sleeping man laying only inches away from his sister,

 

“He just fell asleep, let him rest.” There is a softness in Vex’s voice as she answers that she knows her brother notices, but he knows her too well to bring it up.

 

He nods, before getting up and softly making his way across the camp to wake the other two as Vex shifts her bedroll closer to the fire. If that moves her closer to Percy then that is just a coincidence.

 

\---

 

Percy wakes to the sound of Tiberius and Scanlan having a whispered conversation about something. For a moment the urge to pull the bedroll over his head and go back to sleep is overwhelming, but the sensation of the ground shaking beneath him won't let him fall back to sleep and the realization that he was supposed to take third watch alongside them startles him fully awake.

 

Why did they let him sleep?

 

A vague memory flashes before him like something remembered from a dream or one of Keyleth’s visions.

 

Waking, the darkness of slumber slowly fading as his eyes focused on his surroundings. Watching, taking note of the sleeping and then focusing in on the two keeping watch. Considering who the biggest threat in the group will be, knowing that at some point in the future there will most likely be a fight. A fight he intends to win. 

 

The darkness that Percy tries so hard to keep the others from seeing, bubbling up to the surface, stretching out in the freedom of its hosts slumber.

 

Then Vex’ahlia.

 

She had seen him, and for a second her eyes had narrowed like she had seen something else. The demon had stilled and for that moment Percy had struggled to get to the surface. Wanting to warn her, tell her to put as much distance between them as possible. But Orthax was stronger, especially in the middle of the night after a long day of trekking through The Underdark.

 

Vex’ahlia was almost impossibly graceful as she made her way over to him. Crouching down next to him like a cat, her limbs flowing like water. He remembers clenching the knife under his head in his hand hard. Waiting for her to truly see him, see the monster inside the man. Ready to stab, cut, kill, before she could raise the alarm.

 

Her eyes soft as she touched him.

 

The alienness of that gentle connection. Soft and fluttering against his skin like the wings of a trapped butterfly. The coldness in his chest stilling for a moment.

 

Percy knew Vex was quite possibly the most dangerous member of their group. She and her brother were both far too perceptive. And where Keyleth and Pike were quick to look for excuses, wanting to see the best in everyone, the twins were true pragmatics. If he aroused their suspicion they would keep watching, waiting until he gave himself away.

 

Orthax knew it to. And sometimes Percy wondered what Orthax would do to the twins if he ever relaxed his guard. Sometimes his mind would fill with a sensation of such rage looking at his fellow travellers that he dared not linger on such thoughts. Those were the nights he would place his bedroll as far away from the other members of Vox Machina as he could. Nights like tonight.

 

But Orthax had been awake last night. Percy knew this. The demon had stared at the twins, making plans for his eventual discovery. 

 

He let his mind drift looking for that hard cold presence that was the demon inside his head and found him silent for a change. Still there, and awake but his presence feels almost pensive

 

Cool water hits his face in a harsh reminder to get up and as he rises from his bedroll he takes note of Vex’ahlia wiping water from her eyes with a disgruntled expression from her resting place between him and her brother. Sometime during the night she had moved closer to him. Close enough for the monster who shared his body to reach out and touch her. He shudders at the thought. 

 

He packs up his bedroll and moves over to where Tiberius and Scanlan are standing. He knows Scanlan wants to comment on the fact that he did not join them for last watch, but for once he says nothing just smirks at him as Percy comes up next to them, all of them taking note of the faint rumbling fading into the distance.

 

They don't have to wait for long before the the others joins them. It's hard to tell time in the Underdark but according to Percy's internal clock it is probably mid morning and he lets the soft voices of his fellow adventurers wash over him as he tries to gather his thoughts and ground himself for the new day.

 

Scanlan and Keyleth gets breakfast started, and soon the only sign of their camp is the soft embers of their fire as they pack up the remainder of their gear and leave. 

 

As they make their way Percy notices Vex’ahlia’s eyes on him. He glances up to meet her gaze wondering what he will see. Pity for his weakness, or suspicion lingering in her eyes, he is unsure which one would be worse. Instead her eyes are as inscrutable as always. She gives him a wink that he is unsure of the meaning of befor her hand reaches out to his arm. And with a soft squeeze she is gone. Stealthing ahead with her brother. 

  
Percy can't help wonder what it means, as Vex’ahlia has rarely touched him in the past. He is unsure how much, if anything, has changed between them during the night. And he detests being the last to know. As he curses softly under his breath he feel an unfamiliar sensation that leaves him cold. Orthax is awake, a dark chuckle sounds like a ringing in his ear.

**Author's Note:**

> Any notes and comments are very appreciated. Unsure if I should continue this but let me know if this little AU is something you would like more of.


End file.
